This keto chicken curry is a deeply aromatic, creamy Indian curry with just 3g net carbs per serving — made with chicken thighs, ghee, and fresh spices blended into a rich sauce that tastes like it came from your favourite restaurant. Rated 5 stars by 219 readers, it’s one of the most loved recipes on My Keto Kitchen.
The technique is the key. Blending the onion, chili, ginger, garlic, and cilantro into a paste first means every mouthful is infused with flavour, not just coated in it. The spices are then gently bloomed in ghee before the chicken goes in — 40 minutes from start to finish.
As a nutritionist and founder of My Keto Kitchen, this is one of the recipes I come back to again and again. It doubles beautifully for meal prep, keeps all week in the fridge, and gets better the next day as the spices deepen into the chicken.
At a glance
- ✓Only 3g net carbs per serving
- ✓Ready in 40 minutes
- ✓Rated 5 stars by 219 readers
- ✓Great for meal prep — keeps 1 week
If you love this chicken recipe, you’ll love my keto butter chicken. For something quick and easy, try my juicy keto grilled chicken thighs.
Is Curry Keto-Friendly?
Traditional curry from an Indian restaurant usually isn’t keto. The sauce is often thickened with cashews or flour, served over high-carb rice, and may contain added sugar in the base. A restaurant portion can easily run 30–50g net carbs before you count the sides.
This version is built from the ground up to be keto-compliant. The thickening comes from reducing cream and from the blended aromatic paste — no starches, no added sugar. The result is 3g net carbs per 150g serving, with the carbs coming almost entirely from onion, tomato paste, and the spice mix. It fits comfortably within a 20–25g daily net carb limit.
Ingredients and Why They Matter
Ghee vs. butter: Ghee is clarified butter with the milk solids removed. It has a higher smoke point than butter (485°F / 250°C vs. 350°F / 175°C), which means you can cook the aromatic paste without burning the fat. It also has a nutty, concentrated flavor that complements the spices. Coconut oil is a viable dairy-free substitute.
Chicken thighs vs. breasts: Thighs have more intramuscular fat, which keeps them moist through a 20–25 minute simmer. Breasts can dry out quickly at that temperature — if you use them, reduce simmering time to 10–12 minutes and watch closely.
Heavy cream: Adds richness and thickens as it reduces. Replacing half with full-fat coconut milk adds subtle sweetness and a slightly more complex flavor without significantly changing the carb count. Full coconut milk replacement makes the dish dairy-free and shifts the flavor profile toward a mild Thai style.
Tomato paste: Adds umami and some acidity to balance the cream. Two tablespoons contribute minimal carbs but meaningful depth — don’t skip it.
Fresh vs. dried spices: The recipe uses ground dried spices for the main flavor layer and fresh aromatics for the base. Using fresh ginger, garlic, and chili rather than dried gives a noticeably brighter result.
How to Make Keto Chicken Curry — Key Technique Notes
The step-by-step is in the recipe card. These are the technique points that actually matter:
Blend, don’t chop. The onion, chili, ginger, garlic, and cilantro need to become a smooth paste in the food processor. Chopping and frying them whole gives a different — and inferior — result. If your processor struggles, add a tablespoon of water.
Sauté the paste low and slow for 10 full minutes. This is not optional. You’re caramelizing the aromatics and removing raw onion sharpness. Rushing this step is the most common reason a curry tastes sharp instead of mellow.
Bloom the spices in fat before adding liquid. After the turmeric, cumin, and coriander go in, keep the heat low and cook for 5 minutes before any liquid touches the pan. Dry-roasting spices in hot fat unlocks volatile compounds that water-based cooking cannot. You’ll smell the difference.
Simmer uncovered to thicken. The 20–25 minute simmer with cream is what tightens the sauce. Keep it at a low simmer — boiling cream can cause it to separate.
Cook Time Comparison Table
| Method | Total Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Stovetop (this recipe) | 40 minutes | Best flavor development; most control over sauce thickness |
| Slow cooker | 4–6 hours low / 2–3 hours high | Add cream in the last 30 minutes only; sauce will be thinner |
| Instant Pot | 25 minutes (plus preheat) | Sauté paste and bloom spices first using the sauté function; pressure cook 8 minutes, stir in cream after releasing pressure |
| Meal prep (double batch) | 50 minutes | Scales directly; use a wide pan or Dutch oven so the paste doesn’t steam instead of sauté |
Serving Suggestions
- Cauliflower Rice: Cauliflower rice is a classic low-carb option that perfectly soaks up the flavorful sauce.
- Keto Bread: Enjoy the curry with fluffy, keto-friendly bread.
- Broccoli Mash: A creamy and comforting alternative to traditional mashed potatoes.
- Zucchini Noodles: A light and refreshing option, serve with zucchini noodles for a summery twist.
- Roasted Vegetables: Add various colorful vegetables for extra nutrients and texture.
Keto Chicken Curry Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 small Onion roughly chopped
- 1 large Green Chili roughly chopped
- 1 inch Ginger roughly chopped
- 3 cloves Garlic
- 1/2 cup Cilantro leaves and stems
- 3 tablespoons Ghee
- 2 teaspoons Turmeric ground
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Cumin ground
- 1 teaspoon Coriander ground
- 2 tablespoons Tomato Paste
- 2 pounds Chicken Thighs
- 1 cup Heavy Cream
- 1 teaspoon Salt
Instructions
- In your food processor, add the onion, green chili, ginger, garlic, and fresh coriander. Blend until all ingredients are finely chopped. If your food processor is struggling, add a tablespoon of water to help the ingredients move around.1 small Onion, 1 large Green Chili, 1 inch Ginger, 3 cloves Garlic, 1/2 cup Cilantro
- Scrape the mixture out of the food processor and into a large saucepan over low heat, add the ghee and gently saute for 10 minutes.3 tablespoons Ghee
- Add the turmeric, cumin and ground coriander and continue to gently saute for another 5 minutes.2 teaspoons Turmeric, 1 1/2 teaspoons Cumin, 1 teaspoon Coriander
- Add the tomato paste and stir well to combine with the other ingredients, continue to cook for another 2 minutes before adding the diced chicken.2 tablespoons Tomato Paste, 2 pounds Chicken Thighs
- Increase the heat to medium and cook the chicken in the spices for 10 minutes.
- Add the cream and salt, and reduce the heat until the curry is simmering. Simmer for 20-25 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened.1 cup Heavy Cream, 1 teaspoon Salt
- Serve the Chicken Curry immediately with a side of Cauliflower Rice.
Notes
Nutrition
Pro Tips
Blend the aromatics into a paste.
Don’t skip the food processor step. Blending the onion, chili, ginger, garlic, and cilantro into a smooth paste is what makes this curry taste authentically Indian rather than just spiced. If your processor struggles, add a tablespoon of water to keep it moving.
Sauté low and slow.
Cook the paste in ghee over low heat for a full 10 minutes. This slowly caramelises the aromatics and removes the raw onion flavour — rushing it is the most common reason a curry tastes sharp rather than mellow.
Bloom the spices before adding liquid.
After adding the turmeric, cumin, and coriander, keep the heat low and cook for 5 minutes before adding any liquid. Blooming the spices in fat unlocks their full flavour and aroma.
Use chicken thighs, not breasts.
Thighs stay juicy and tender through the 20–25 minute simmer. If you only have breasts, reduce the simmering time to 10–12 minutes and watch closely.
Make it mild or hot — your call.
For a mild curry, omit the green chili and use half a teaspoon of Kashmiri chili powder instead for colour without heat, as reader Hilary recommends. For more heat, add a second chili or a pinch of cayenne.
Try half cream, half coconut milk.
As reader Alex discovered — replacing half the heavy cream with full-fat coconut milk gives a slightly more complex depth. It also makes the recipe dairy-free if you replace the ghee with coconut oil.
It tastes better the next day.
The spices continue to meld overnight in the fridge. Reader Jenny makes a double batch every week for exactly this reason.
Frequently Asked Questions
It depends on how it’s made. Traditional restaurant curry often is not — the sauce may be thickened with cashews or flour, and it’s typically served over white rice, which can add 40g or more of net carbs. A homemade keto curry built with cream or coconut milk and no starch thickeners can easily come in under 5g net carbs per serving.
This keto chicken curry has 3g net carbs per serving (150g). Total carbohydrates are 4g with 1g fibre, giving 3g net carbs. The carbs come primarily from the onion, tomato paste, and small amount of spices.
Yes, but we recommend thighs for their superior flavour and moisture. If using chicken breast, reduce the simmering time to 10–12 minutes to prevent the meat from drying out. Reader Sylvia used breasts with reduced cooking time and called it restaurant quality.
Ghee is strongly recommended for authentic flavour — it has a higher smoke point than butter and a nuttier taste that complements the spices. If you don’t have ghee, clarified butter is the closest substitute. Coconut oil also works well and keeps the recipe dairy-free. Regular butter can be used in a pinch but may separate at higher temperatures.
No — the cream won’t separate when cooled and reheated. The instruction to serve immediately simply means to eat it hot. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Yes. Replace the heavy cream with full-fat coconut milk for a creamy version. Replace the ghee with coconut oil. The result will taste slightly more like a Thai-inspired curry but is still delicious — reader Alex uses half cream and half coconut milk for a middle-ground version.
Yes — cilantro and fresh coriander are the same thing. In North America the leaves are typically called cilantro; in the UK and Australia they’re called fresh coriander. The ground coriander in the recipe is made from the dried seeds and is a different product.
The best keto accompaniments are cauliflower rice, which soaks up the sauce beautifully, or zucchini noodles for a lighter option. Keto bread works well for scooping. Reader Tom found it equally good without any base at all.
Yes — reader Melanie used a rotisserie chicken with great results. Skip the browning step and add the shredded chicken after the cream, reducing the simmer to 10 minutes just to heat it through.
For mild: omit the green chili and use half a teaspoon of Kashmiri chili powder. For medium: use the recipe as written. For hot: add a second green chili or a pinch of cayenne. Reader Aaron adds garam masala, Kashmiri chili, and dried fenugreek at the end for an elevated result.
Absolutely. Spinach is a popular addition — stir a large handful in during the last 2 minutes until just wilted. Red pepper, canned tomatoes, and mushrooms have all been used by readers with great results. Avoid potato, peas, or chickpeas to keep it keto.
Two likely causes. First, the aromatic paste wasn’t cooked long enough — it needs a full 10 minutes over low heat to caramelize and mellow. Second, the spices weren’t bloomed in fat before adding liquid. Both steps unlock flavor compounds that don’t develop in water-based cooking. If the curry is bitter, low heat and more time are usually the fix.
Reader tips
“After trying many chicken curry recipes to replicate an authentic Indian restaurant taste, I finally found this. And it’s keto! This is a new favourite.”
★★★★★ Mark K.
“The third time I’ve made this, I added garam masala, Kashmiri chili pepper, and finished with dried fenugreek. Amazing.”
★★★★★ Aaron
“We used a rotisserie chicken and canned green chilies — AMAZING! So easy. This is going into our meal prep rotation.”
★★★★★ Melanie
More keto curry recipes:
- Pork Vindaloo
- Lamb Madras
- Vegetarian Boiled Egg Curry
- Coconut Pork Curry
- Lamb Korma
- One Pan Chicken Thighs
To make this recipe in a larger batch, adjust the serving amounts in the recipe card above.
The best keto curry ever !!!!
Thank you so much for your feedback Joanna.
This is a great recipe, I was out of a green chili. I added in a little bit of red pepper flakes. It is fine, but I would definitely recommend the green chili next time I. added zucchini at the end. Delicious we’ll make it again.
Thanks so much for the kind words Tracey. I like the sounds of the red pepper flakes, i’ll give that a go myself.
Very good recipe. The third time I’ve made this, I added garam masala, Kashmiri chili pepper, and finished with dried fenugreek. Amazing.
Loved it 10
Its one of my favorites to Bern. Thanks for the rating.
Fabulous, thank you for that. Really enjoyed it
Thanks again Bern. Glad you enjoyed it.
i’ve just made this and it’s really nice. I omitted the green chilli and put half a teaspoon of kashmire chilli powder in because i don’t like hot curry. I will definitely be making this again. it’s pretty lush if you like a mild creamy but tasty curry whilst doing keto.
Hello Hillary, so glad you enjoyed it. I’ll give the kashmir powder a try next I make it.
OMG This is the best recipe ever!!!! I didn’t have fresh coriander so I used cilantro. Was awesome. I love this recipe and I’m the most picky eater ever so with Keto sometimes it’s hard to find yummy food. I would make this again and again does not matter if I’m on the keto diet or not.
Hey Pam, the chicken curry is one of our favorites too! So glad you liked it.
Just so you know for the future, cilantro IS fresh coriander. It is just rarely called that in N.Am. grocers. Generally here the seeds are called coriander and the leaves are called cilantro
My husband & I just made this for our meal prep. We could not find fresh coriander so we omitted that, used a can of diced green chilies, and cheated with a rotisserie chicken we bought at Sam’s. AMAZING! & so easy! This recipe is definitely going into our recipe rotation for meal prep!
Thank you for your feedback Melanie, so glad you and your husband enjoyed the curry. It one of my favorites too.
Absolutely delicious, satisfying and filling! So easy to make with readily available ingredients.
Definitely a favourite in our house!
So glad you enjoyed the chicken curry, Felicity. Thank you for your kind words.
Hi. My keto daughter has also recently become dairy free. Can full fat coconut milk be substituted 1 for one with heavy cream?
Thanks.
Generally, you can’t replace heavy cream for coconut curry, but with this recipe, I think it will be fine, it will just taste more like a Thai curry. I hope that helps Stephanie.
This recipe was outstanding.
Little effort for enormous taste.
I think I could have eaten all the servers by myself.
Absolutely lovely and thank you so much for the recipe.
This one I will certainly make again and again.
Thank you for the positive feedback, Julie. We love this chicken curry too.
Hi, could I substitute ghee with butter or olive oil?
Will this be ok for leftover chicken?
Many thanks, Looks great!
Best Wishes,
Alison
Hi ALison,
Sorry, but olive oil or butter wouldn’t work for this recipe.
Hope that helps.
Hi, the recipe says to serve immediately. Will the cream separate if I make it in advance and heat it up later? Thanks!
Hi Justine,
No, the cream won’t separate if cooled then reheated. The immediately part refers to eating it hot 😉
That’s so amazing, it’s a traditional Indian dish and famous worldwide and can be had at any meal. I have to shred many kadi recipes with folks, now I’m gonna try it your way. Thanks a lot.
I usually make curries with so many ingredients and it’s delicious but takes hours…This one is going to be my favorite ones from now on! I just added a red pepper and 2 tomatoes, and I blitzed the mix in my nutri bullet instead of the food processor! But it was insanely good anyway
The best curry ever, the whole family loved it. The only thing I did different was I added a can of chopped tomatoes
So glad you liked it, Kim. Thank you for your kind words. I’ll pass them on to Gerri (she’s away at the moment)
I love this recipe. I’ve made it numerous times and it’s always a hit with my whole family.
Sometimes I am unable to get green chillies, so I use a green capsicum and some cayenne pepper to taste instead. Delicious.
Thank you, I adore curry and this makes my keto journey much more doable!
Hi, I love Indian food with curry and tumeric. I want to cook the Keto chicken curry and trying to watch the video for it and can’t get the video. Also do all the recipes have a video.
Hi Rosemary,
We don’t yet have a video of this recipe. About a third of the recipes on our website have a video, we are working on updating all the recipes to include a video but it will take some time.
How on Earth is this regarded as being good for you? It’s so easy to make, and tastes superb. Similar to butter chicken which is a firm favourite in our household. We’ve really got on board with Keto and this is great. We didn’t have it with any rice yet found it equally as good to eat. I found this a mild curry so will increase the amount of chilli next time. Thank you!
Hi Tom,
I wasn’t sure if you loved it or hated it to start with! I’m glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Fantastic! Just made this recipe and served it over cauliflower rice. After trying many chicken curry recipes to replicate an authentic Indian restaurant taste, I finally found this . Thank you! And it’s keto!!! This is a new favorite!
This recipe is a game changer. I look forward to eating this and never miss any “bad” foods. It is sooo delicious and satisfying that I have made a double batch, each week, for the last 4 weeks and my entire family gobbles it up without complaints! They even request more on my meal prep days! A million thanks to you and a request for any other easy, Indian inspired keto recipes would be very welcomed.
Best curry I have ever eaten, made tonight for probably the 10th time. Thank you for this recipe
Thank you for your kind words, Jade!!
This was excellent!! Thanks!
The nicest curry I have ever made.
Easy to prepare. My husband has a sweet tooth so I added a tablespoon of Splenda and he was in heaven. Cut the recipe in half as there are only 2 of us, and it still came out tasty. By the end of the evening, nothing left.
DELICIOUS!
I was looking for something to make for dinner and came across this recipe. It looked interesting so I decided to give it a try. We were surprised at how delicious it is and yet so easy to make. Thanks for sharing!
Wow great recipe. I put half cream, half coconut milk wow. I thought afterwards to add some spinach next time. Thank you.
I am a terrible cook and this came out amazing!!
Easy and simple
Thank you
This was absolutely fabulous and restaurant quality. Thank you so much for sharing. I used a bit less cream and added some water instead to make it less rich. I also added cumin seeds to the cauliflower rice. I also used chicken breasts instead of thighs (as it was all I had to hand) and just reduced the cooking time. This is a 5-star recipe and it will be a firm favourite in our house.
Can you tell me how you calculated the nutrition info?
I use MyFitnessPal to log my meals and upon importing this recipe the Amount Per Serving is VERY different than yours, and i am hesitant to try this on the Keto diet. This is a dish my husband and I would love to try but our macros limit us to 25 or less grams of carbs/day.
Here are the results from the import:
Servings 10.0
Amount Per Serving
calories 370 % Daily Value *
Total Fat 18 g 27 %
Saturated Fat 9 g 46 %
Monounsaturated Fat 3 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 117 mg 39 %
Sodium 340 mg 14 %
Potassium 450 mg 13 %
Total Carbohydrate 32 g 11 %
Dietary Fiber 2 g 9 %
Sugars 3 g
Protein 24 g 49 %
Vitamin A 14 %
Vitamin C 67 %
Calcium 20 %
Iron 15 %
Hi Victoria,
Both Matt and I eat Keto, we know all about keeping carbs low! You just have to look at the ingredients to see that there are not many carbs in the recipe.
I am very confused as to how you got the carbs so high in your calculations – there are only about 30g of carbs in the entire recipe. That being said; My Fitness Pal is notorious for having incorrect food data, I suggest that you go back and double check each of the ingredients that you have added. It can be helpful to do a google search of each of the ingredients to get an understanding of how many carbs different ingredients have.
I hope that helps!
Hello,
I made your keto chicken curry and it was amazing! I wasn’t sure what green chili to use though. I used Anaheim chilies, but what kind of green chili was I supposed to use?
Hi Nancy,
We get chili’s at the supermarket here in Australia that are just called “green chilies” though any green colored chili will do 🙂
Hi, I really want to make this, are the ingredients accurate for 2 Servings?
I use Metric and 0.24 teaspoons Cumin ground is a bit odd?
Many Thanks
Hi Matt,
The conversion is basically dividing the recipe by the number of serves that you put in. 0.24 teaspoons is just 1/4 of a teaspoon. I hope that helps.
Amazing! Accidentally used pepperoncini instead of green chili but still tasted great! Subbed olive oil for ghee.
Better than the local Thai and Indian restaurants! Went perfectly with the cauliflower rice!
Thank you for your kind words, Jenn!
Hi Gerri
I just made this and subsequently ate it and I have to say it was delicious. Thank you
Hi Graham,
I’m so glad you liked it! Thanks for stopping by 🙂
Making for second time!!! Best curry ever! My husband wanted a non traditional Xmas meal so we are making your recipe!! Thank you again!!
Thank you for your kind words Jean!
Hi this sounds so yum but I was wondering if I could use parsley instead of coriander as we don’t like that I will use the powder but not the herb thanks.
Hi Nathalie,
Parsley has a very different flavor to coriander and will change the taste of the curry. I don’t recommend it, but you’re more than welcome to try it.
What to do with cilantro? Is It just a garnish? Didnt but fresh coriander. Don’t know if my store even carries
Hi Jean,
Cilantro is fresh coriander, it’s just another name for it 🙂 The cilantro/coriander is used in the curry paste.
This recipe is amazing! Even better the day after!! Thanks for delivering a fantastic recipe. One question, I’m hoping to remake for a good friend who’s dairy intolerant. Could this be made on coconut milk?
Hi Natalie,
Thank you for your kind words, I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Yes, it can, though I would recommend using coconut cream for the added fat content. I’d love to hear how it goes 🙂
Wow. There are no words to explain how I felt about this recipe. It was better than any Indian restaurant I’ve ever been tooand bonus… it’s keto! Thank you so much!
Thank you for your kind words, Natalie!
I’m so glad you loved it 🙂
Can you sub butter for the ghee?
Hi Amanda,
You can definitely use butter instead of ghee.
i have always made curry dishes from the jar. Never again! this recipe was easy and so delicious! thanks
Hi Shan,
Thank you for your kind words 🙂
I’m on keto, and I had a severe craving for Indian food. This recipe hit the spot! I dare say it was better than my local Indian restaurant. Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Josh,
Thank you for your kind words! I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Gerri
So good! The only thing I did differently from the recipe was added a half of a jalapeño pepper. Incredible!
I have got to say that this is the yummiest chicken curry I have ever eaten! The whole family loved it and I’ve had the left overs for breakfast! Will definitely be making this again! It was a winner!
Thank you for your kind words Emma!
I wanted to try making a curry from scratch and this turned out delicious. I am now keen to try your other curry recipes.
Thank you for your kind words Sue!
You weren’t kidding, this is both easy and delicious! Thank you for creating an amazing recipe that is a keto comfort food. This will be a regular meal in our home.